Car-coupling.



PATENTBD OCT. 3l, 1905.

G. W. POWERE CAR COUPLING APPLICATION rILBD APR. 17, 1905.

rrErrEn STATES PATENI` FFIGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed April 17. 1905. Serial No. 256,054.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that LGEORGE W.P0WER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshall, in the county of Harrison and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a speciiication. 'i

This invention relates to car-couplers; and the object thereof is to provide an interengaging suspension means, hereinafter referred to, for use in connection with any form of coupler for which it is found applicable and which is adapted to suspend or support one coupler by the other if the draw-bar of one coupler becomes accidentally detached from the car either by being broken off or pulled out. I The suspending or supporting of the detached coupler prevents the falling thereof upon or between the rails of the track, thereby preventing said detached coupler presenting an obstacle to the passage of the following cars, which otherwise would result in darnage or derailment and often with loss of human life.

To this end the invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts 'throughout the several g views, and in which- Figure 1 is a View of a coupler constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a pair of couplers in operative position and provided with the interengaging suspension means, also showing the position of the said interengaging suspension means; and Fig. 3 is a detail of a modified form of protuberance.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 denotes the coupler-head, having the curved guard-arm 2; 3, the knuckle; 4, the draw-bar; 5, the pivot for the knuckle, and 6 the knuckle-pin.

The interengaging suspending or supporting means consists of a protuberance formed integral with or otherwise connected with the outer end of the knuckle and extending in the direction of the length of the draw-bar or at the reference character7 and when in position is adapted to extend in the coupler-head l of the opposing coupler, the coupler-head being hollow, so that the top thereof if the coupler is detached will rest upon the protuberance 7, and consequently the coupler acter 8.)

It will be evident that when the couplers are in the position as shown in Fig. 2 if one of the couplers should become detached the same will be supported or suspended through the medium of the protuberance 7 and that also by the employment of the protuberance when a coupler is detached or pulled from a car the protuberances 7 will prevent the passage of the knuckles 3.

In Fig. 3 the protuberance is indicated by the reference character 9 and bears against a compression-spring 10, which is arranged within the knuckle. An opening 11 in the knuckle allows the compressing of the protuberance. By such construction when the protuberance is moved to operative position the sanne will be {iush with the knuckle as the knuckle passes by the guard-arm, and when the knuckle has reached its operative position the action of the spring will force the protuberance outwardly, so that the position of the protuberance will be the same as the protuberance shown in Fig. 2.

The foregoing construction of coupler saves wear on the knuckles, as well as overcomes the delay occasioned by cars parting. It also does away with the slack that is now more or less manifest in the draw-heads now in use, thereby holding the cars steady in train, preventing the swinging of the cars to a certain extent, thereby lessening liability of derailment. It also prevents the destruction of brake-rigging, air-pipes, &c. ,now often destroyed by the present draw-heads falling on the track. Couplers constructed in accordance with the foregoing possesses this advantage, that the draw-heads thereof will pull evenly and together and not up and down, thereby not damaging the carrier irons and bolts. The draw-heads cannot be pulled out so they will fall to the track, consequently avoiding numerous accidents, often entailing the loss of life and the destruction of property.

IOO

IIO

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A coupler having the outer end of its knuckle provided with a yieldable protulerv ance extending at an angle with respectthereto and in direction of the length of the drawhead.

2. A coupler having the outer end of its knuckle .provided with a yieldable protuberance extending in the direction of the length of the draw-head and the inner face of its guard-arm with a clearance-space.

3. A coupler having the outer end of its knuckle provided With a yieldable protubereach coupler and a clearance-space formed in each Coupler, the clearance-space of one coupler associating with the protuberance on the other coupler.`

6. 'Ihe combination with a pair of couplers,

s of an interengaging suspension means therefor, said means consisting of a protuherance on the extreme outer end of the knuckle ,of each coupler, the protuherance of' one coupler adapted tov extend in the coupler-head of the other coupler, and aclearanee-space formed in the guard-arm of each ofthe couplers, the clearance-space of one coupler associating with the protuberanee on the other coupler. n

In testimony whereof' I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE W. POWER.

Witnesses:

N. U. NUNDEN, R. K. TURNER. 

